In 2004, a colossal tsunami struck the beaches of Southeast Asia, claiming the lives of 230,000 residents and tourists with it. In Thailand alone, 5,000 people fell victim to the 30-foot wall of waves crashing onto their beaches. However, thanks to one smart little girl, that number was smaller than it could have been.
Tilly Smith was enjoying her holiday vacation in what she and her family thought would be paradise. However, as they walked along the beach the day after Christmas, Tilly noticed something strange happening with the water. Remembering a science lesson she had learned just the week before, she began to grow wary of the frothy water rushing onto the sand. The bubbly water was only flowing inward and not ebbing back out.
The 10-year-old tried warning her family that this was exactly the type of reaction you'd find after an underwater earthquake, but they underestimated her. After she became hysterical, sitting down in the sand and refusing to budge, her father decided to escort her back to the hotel where he got the attention of a nearby security guard. Another guest overheard the conversation and told them he heard about an earthquake that had just occurred in Sumatra, Indonesia.
Quickly, the guard began evacuating the beach where Tilly's mother was still walking with her little sister. The family barely made it to the second floor of the hotel before the tsunami struck the shores. Though some of the guests suffered injuries on that terrible day, none lost their lives because of this smart girl's quick thinking.
Watch the video below to hear more about this "Angel of the Beach," and SHARE her incredible story with your friends!
